Illinois American Water is offering tips to customers to help avoid the water overuse pitfalls that frequently happen this time of year. These tips and insights are designed to help customers save on their water bill while alleviating stress on water supplies and infrastructure as we head into the warmer months.

“Gardens, pools, car washing and outdoor cleaning are all activities that go hand-in-hand with summer, and also increase water use and water waste,” said, Beth Matthews, vice president of operations for Illinois American Water. “Unfortunately, consumers may not think about water use or water waste in the summer until they receive a high bill. We want to help prevent this from occurring, while also protecting our precious water resources.”

Customers are encouraged to use water wisely by implementing some wise water tips for outdoor water use:

• Reuse it. Use water from rain barrels and kiddie pools for watering lawn and gardens.
• Embrace the bucket! Instead of using a running hose, use water contained in a bucket for washing cars and pets, and rinsing sandy/grassy feet.
• Timing is everything. Only water during the coolest parts of the day (early morning or evening) to minimize evaporation. Watering during the middle of the day has potential to lose up to 30% due to evaporation.
• Odd/Even Watering of your lawn. Watering your lawn uses a lot of water, so only water your lawn when it needs it. Generally, lawns only need an inch or so of water per week.
• Use drip irrigation hoses to water your plants.
• Consider using a broom instead of a hose. Using a broom eliminated the need for unused water to clear the sidewalk or patio.
• Rain delay. Watch weather forecast to avoid “Mother Nature” re-watering your garden, which could also damage plants.
• Pick your plants wisely. Purchase varieties that require less water and remain hearty in drier weather. And don’t forget to mulch (only 2-3”) to help with water retention.
• Be a leak detective. Find and fix leaks and breaks in hoses, sprinkler systems and pipes. For help, download Illinois American Water’s Leak Detection Kit at illinoisamwater.com under Water Information.
• Raise the blade. Raise the level of your lawnmower blade to avoid lawn burnout and the need for watering.
• Keep an eye out. Watch your sprinkler’s “sweep” to make sure all the water is reaching vegetation that needs it and not the pavement! Check this frequently in case a person or animal has accidentally redirected your sprinkler.

More tips for indoor and outdoor wise water use can be found online at www.illinoisamwater.com.

“We’re encouraging everyone to monitor their water usage. By following these wise water tips, we hope customers can see how easy it can be to conserve water in everyday settings,” said Matthews. “Customers can track their water usage online through MyWater and find ways to use water more wisely.”

In addition, the company wants to remind customers they may qualify to receive assistance in paying their bill through Illinois American Water’s H2O Help to Other’s Program. For more information, please visit here.

About Illinois American Water - Illinois American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 1.3 million people. American Water also operates a customer service center in Alton and a quality control and research laboratory in Belleville.

With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to 15 million people in 46 states. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to help make sure we keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit amwater.com and follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Illinois American Water ranked #1 in Customer Satisfaction with Large Water Utilities in the Midwest according to the J.D. Power 2020 Water Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study

For J.D. Power 2020 award information, visit jdpower.com/awards

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